Go ahead, Dave Doeren, join the women’s golf team for a day. Dare you. How about the women’s volleyball team? Bass fishing? Rifling? Double-dog dare ya. Careful: If you “Dare Coach D,” he just might do it.
Wisconsin's secondary, which was already a position facing some depth concerns this season, has suffered its second departure by a safety in about a week. Last week, redshirt freshman Reggie Mitchell -- who had practiced as the team's starting free safety this spring -- was granted his release for an expected transfer to Pittsburgh.
Broaden your focus for a moment, past the nitty-gritty details of the schedules and two-deeps and likely storylines for the 2013 college football season, and ask yourself this: Which programs are most likely to be successful, not just this year but over the next three?
Texas junior long snapper Nate Boyer has been honored as the Big 12's Sportsperson of the Year. Boyer, who was placed on scholarship last August as a sophomore, was a member of the Green Berets Special Forces before coming to Texas to play football.
The SEC brings back a good crop of quarterbacks this fall, but they're all looking to get better. Which one will be the most improved? We asked our readers and with more than 7,700 votes cast in our SportsNation poll, South Carolina's Connor Shaw narrowly beat LSU's Zach Mettenberger by taking 30 percent of the vote.
Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.
1. NCAA president Mark Emmert’s decision to appoint a committee of 10 athletic directors to rescue the organization from the leadership of university presidents is a welcome attempt to find balance.
Wes Lunt confirmed his plans to transfer to Illinois in an interview with ESPN, but also made allusions to his relationship with coach Mike Gundy. From our report (emphasis added): Lunt called Illinois coach Tim Beckman on Monday to inform him of his decision.
Illinois coach Tim Beckman finally got his man as former Oklahoma State Wes Lunt has decided to transfer to the Illini, colleague Joe Schad is reporting. Lunt, who passed for 1,108 yards with six touchdowns and seven interceptions as a freshman at Oklahoma State, picked Illinois ahead of Sugar Bowl champion Louisville.
It wasn't long ago when Kentucky and Tennessee were two programs considered to be in shambles. On the field, nothing was really going right and the top players weren't exactly lining up to sign their names on letters of intent from either school.
We know the forecast for this fall: Clemson and Florida State are again expected to be the frontrunners for the ACC title. But what about 2014? 2015? 2016? ESPN.com is focused on the future, and our panel of experts -- Travis Haney, Brock Huard, Tom Luginbill, Todd McShay and Mark Schlabach -- put together a comprehensive ranking of what they expect to be the top 25 teams in the country over the next three years.
Go ahead, Dave Doeren, join the women’s golf team for a day. Dare you. How about the women’s volleyball team? Bass fishing? Rifling? Double-dog dare ya. Careful: If you “Dare Coach D,” he just might do it.
It's quiet out there today ... The Big Ten-bound Terps got a recruit straight outta Big Ten country. Georgia Tech got a recruit -- from it's own baseball team. Is Clemson wideout Sammy Watkins going to have another record-breaking season?
Pack your bags (and your 5-hour Energy drinks), this series is taking you to the best game(s) of the week in the ACC this fall ... WEEK 2 schedule Monday, September 2 Florida State at Pittsburgh, ESPN, 8 pm Friday, September 6 Wake Forest at Boston College, ESPN or ESPN2 Saturday, September 7 South Carolina State at Clemson Duke at Memphis Old Dominion at Maryland Florida at Miami Middle Tennessee at North Carolina Richmond at NC State Syracuse at Northwestern Oregon at Virginia Western Carolina at Virginia Tech Our pick: Monday night in the 'Burgh, followed by Florida at Miami Why you should come along: You can't miss the Labor Day opener at Heinz Field, when Pittsburgh will take on one of the best programs in the ACC in what will be the Panthers' first game as a member of the conference.
We move on in our series looking at the weakest and strongest position on each team in the ACC with Virginia Tech. Strongest position: Defensive line. Virginia Tech should feature one of the best -- if not the best -- defense in the ACC this season, and its defensive line is a big reason why.
This is where ACC fans get understandably confused. You see, the ACC recruits very well. Signing Day is one of the most anticipated days of the football calendar for ACC fans, especially at Florida State and Clemson.
It’s OK, ACC fans. You don’t have to agree with everything we write. Just most of it. Such was the case with the recent “most important game” series, where colleague Andrea Adelson and I picked the make-or-break game on the schedule for each school in the ACC and then narrowed the choices to five for you to cast your vote.
Pinch me, I’m dreaming. No really, this is a dream. Imagine having enough money and vacation time to go to any and every ACC game you wanted to this fall. From Death Valley to Tally, or you can catch a doubleheader and go from a Thursday night game in Atlanta to a Saturday game at Syracuse.
Happy Monday ... Miami has said its peace. Now the waiting game begins. Is it time for the NCAA to outsource investigations? How will the ACC quarterbacks stack up in 2013? Georgia Tech got a commitment from a tight end who says he's willing to lineup just about anywhere.
There’s a weak link on every team, but there is also a strength that could help mask it or overcome it entirely. This series will take a look at the strongest and weakest position groups for each ACC team heading into the fall.
Every season, every player feels he's got at least something to prove. Otherwise, all the work wouldn't be worth it. That said, some guys have more to prove than others. These are the guys with the most to prove on their respective Big 12 teams.
Our RecruitingNation staff dropped the first ESPN 300 of the recruiting season on Monday, aka the list of the nation's top 300 overall prospects. You can see the full list here, but here's a look at the guys on the list who are committed to Big 12 schools: No.
Wes Lunt finally opened up about his decision to transfer. The reasons aren't too complex, but he also dropped some rather major news in an interview with Channel 1450, an Illinois radio station: Former Oklahoma State quarterback Wes Lunt says Cowboys coach Mike Gundy had lifted restrictions that blocked Lunt from transferring to 37 schools -- including three of his top five before he made his final decision on Illinois.
Magic. Travis Hines of the Ames Tribune writes about Paul Rhoads' "Ride to Remember" fundraiser. Cool promotion. Enjoyed this column from colleague Gene Wojciechowski about how much one guy can change the face of a football team.
Texas junior long snapper Nate Boyer has been honored as the Big 12's Sportsperson of the Year. Boyer, who was placed on scholarship last August as a sophomore, was a member of the Green Berets Special Forces before coming to Texas to play football.
Last week, we took a look at Baylor's recent run that gave it the nation's biggest recruiting class. Texas rallied over the weekend to reach 19 commits of its own, four more than it signed in the entire 2012 class.
Defensive end Chris Martin has been dismissed from Kansas' program. The junior juco transfer is facing aggravated robbery charges from a May 13 incident. "Due to recent incidents Chris Martin was involved with, he was given a list of stipulations he was required to meet for him to remain a member of the Kansas football team," coach Charlie Weis said in a statement.
We're continuing our series today looking at the "most important" game of the year for each team in the Big 12. I have my own opinions on that for every team, but I'll ask the fans what they think first before I weigh in on what game I'd pick and why.
Wes Lunt confirmed his plans to transfer to Illinois in an interview with ESPN, but also made allusions to his relationship with coach Mike Gundy. From our report (emphasis added): Lunt called Illinois coach Tim Beckman on Monday to inform him of his decision.
Wes Lunt has finally decided on a new home. He's transferring to Illinois, a source told colleagues Joe Schad and Brett McMurphy. Lunt, who grew up an Illini fan, believes the spread offense operated by offensive coordinator Bill Cubit would be a good fit.
NCAA president Mark Emmert told the Wall Street Journal's Rachel Bachman this past weekend that he would form a council of 10 athletic directors who would meet regularly with NCAA brass starting in July.
Six Big East players have been named to the defensive watch lists for the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA). The defensive awards are grouped by position. Memphis' Martin Ifedi and UCF's E.J.
Do the Spurs finish it tonight? Former Cincinnati running back George Winn has signed with the New England Patriots, ESPNBoston's Mike Rodak writes. The Memphis Commercial Appeal's Kyle Veazey says that Justin Fuente isn't just trying to tamp down expectations.
Our series taking a team-by-team look at the marquee nonconference players Big East teams will face in the fall continues today with Houston. To read the Cincinnati entry, click here. Offensive opponent to watch: Jordan Taylor, WR, Rice.
Today we kick off a new series that will take a team-by-team look at the marquee nonconference faces the Big East will see in the fall. Every regular reader of this blog knows about the Teddy Bridgewaters and Greg Blairs of the world, but who are some of the opponents outside of conference play that are worth studying up on before your favorite team takes the field in 2013?
Good to be back. Who will be the best-dressed team this fall? AthlonSports' Braden Gall ranks the conference by uniforms. A Nippert Stadium renovation is looking more likely, Cliff Peale writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
When the latest APR scores came out, two numbers jumped out: USF sitting No. 3 in the league with a 970 score; and Louisville sitting last with a 924 score. The Bulls' score showed exactly how far this program has come, but Louisville's was a bit more misleading.
Did you miss me? Ty in Cincinnati writes: UL will probably start off fairly well in the rankings where UC will probably start outside and need to win games to get some press. Given that, UC and Louisville's strength of schedules aren't projecting to be the toughest (bear with me Rutgers and UCF guy, I am not saying the AAC doesn't have quality opponents), how do you see a potential undefeated UC and undefeated UL game on Dec.
Have a great weekend! Pat Forde of Yahoo! Sports weighs in with some thoughts on the 2013 schedule. Who's the only team more likely to go unbeaten than Ohio State? Take a guess. Transferring Houston quarterback Rex Dausin will play at Lamar.
Our series taking a look at the weakest and strongest positions on each team in the league ends today with USF. It's OK. I'm sad, too. Strongest position: Defensive line. There really is no debate about this choice, considering just about everybody expects the Bulls to have one of the best lines in the league.
Be sure to follow us on Twitter. To your emails ... David from Chicago writes: I may be out of step with other fans, but I would like to see Iowa schedule a MAC team and a Sun Belt team every year as non-conference opponents, in addition to keeping Iowa State on the schedule.
The Big Ten unveiled its 2015 conference schedule this month, which was basically just a mirror image of the 2014 schedule that came out in May. While those schedules are noteworthy for their inclusion of Maryland and Rutgers for the first time, the real intrigue will come with the 2016 Big Ten schedule.
Quarterback competitions took center stage around the Big Ten this spring and will continue to do so when preseason camps kick off in August. As camp approaches, we're examining each of the unsettled signal-caller races in the league, where they stand and what needs to be done in the all important summer months.
Wisconsin's secondary, which was already a position facing some depth concerns this season, has suffered its second departure by a safety in about a week. Last week, redshirt freshman Reggie Mitchell -- who had practiced as the team's starting free safety this spring -- was granted his release for an expected transfer to Pittsburgh.
Earlier today, Adam and I debated who will lead the Big Ten in receiving yards in 2013. Now, it's your turn to choose. Here are five candidates: Allen Robinson, Penn State: The obvious choice, as Robinson led the league by a wide margin last year with 77 catches and 1,013 yards as a sophomore.
Former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez is enjoying life in the wild, wild West. More on QB Wes Lunt's transfer to Illinois here and here and here and here. Check out the latest ESPN 300 recruiting rankings.
Last week, we asked you to pick the nonconference opponent you'd most like to see your favorite team play in the near future. You could pick a team already on the upcoming schedule or one that inexplicably hasn't been added.
Mitch Sherman stops by to talk about the suddenly red-hot Nebraska Cornhuskers, and Jared Shanker talks about a return of the Cradle of Quarterbacks at Purdue.
Big Ten bloggers Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett will occasionally give their takes on a burning question facing the league. We'll both have strong opinions, but not necessarily the same view. We'll let you decide which blogger is right.
I like the way you work it. I got to 'bag it up. A.J. from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: Hey Brian, this is a question regarding the B1G and the SEC. Could part of the reason it's been so hard for the B1G to stay competitive on a national level with the SEC be weather?
Today we start a new series looking at each team's nonconference opponents in 2013. ARIZONA Northern Arizona, Aug. 30 Coach: Jerome Souers (84-85), 16th year 2012 record: 8-3, 6-2 Big Sky Returning starters: nine offense, nine defense Offensive headliner: Running back Zach Bauman rushed for 1,182 yards (5.
For all the gamers out there eagerly awaiting the release of EA's NCAA Football 14, there's good news. The team ratings are out! For those in the gaming world, I'm assuming this is huge news. I haven't gamed in a while -- I'm assuming it's still pretty much like Tecmo Bowl, right?
Dinner Out is a go. Arizona's "Hard Edge" video has gone viral. ASU coaches weigh in on what makes a good recruiter. Cal is scrambling to pay off stadium debts. Should Colorado look in state for the model of a good AD?
Last week, Ted gave you the rundown of which Pac-12 players will be attending media day on July 26. Now the on-stage lineup has been set. We'll be there to bring you each team's summary "On stage..." post like we did last year, as well as "Seen and Heard" posts, a multi-story notebook and plenty of videos.
It's getting to be that time when we can officially start transitioning from the offseason to the preseason. And with the preseason comes preseason teams. Or in the case of Athlon Sports, the projection of the 2013 all-league team.
The debate rages. Who is No. 2? We know who the real No. 2 is, but we're just looking at college football (and yes, I realize that is the second Austin Powers reference of the day). If you believe Phil Steele, then it's the Big 12.
Ted spent much of the past two weeks looking at individuals from the league who are coming back. But what about from a team standpoint? As is always the case, we have to say goodbye to some folks who have graduated, departed early, transferred or simply chose to follow another path in life.
The ESPN 150+150 -- we'll call it the ESPN 300 to avoid confusion -- has been released. Here's the link to the commitment scorecard. USC currently sits at 16th in the team rankings, with Washington, Stanford and Arizona all ranked in the top 25.
The Lannisters send their regards. Now that all chargers have been dropped against Ka'Deem Carey, how does the running back rate nationally? Neat story about how Todd Graham and his coaches are making a difference in the lives of kids without fathers.
Ted spent much of the last two weeks looking at individuals from the league who are coming back. But what about from a team standpoint? As is always the case, we have to say goodbye to some folks who have graduated, departed early, transferred or simply chose to follow another path in life.
We're in the dog days of the offseason, where every little comment or development gets overanalyzed or takes on a life of its own. So why not overanalyze some comments Texas A&M athletic director Eric Hyman made in jest Thursday at the Brazos County A&M Club Coach's Night, an alumni event?
Every year, players come and go in college football. With that teams can either grow or take steps back because of turnover. It's time to check out Arkansas' strongest position and weakest position heading into the 2013 season: Strongest position: Defensive line New coach Bret Bielema wants a powerful team and he'll have a pretty good unit to work with along the defensive line.
Gazing into the future can be a fun and dangerous thing. Just look at "Back to the Future Part II." But when it comes to looking into our crystal balls to check out the sports we love, no one can get enough of it.
Alabama's 14-7 win against Penn State in the 1979 Sugar Bowl didn't come without quite the fight down in New Orleans. After going 10-1 during the regular season, the No. 2-ranked Crimson Tide took on No.
I'm living in that 21st century doin' something mean to it/Do it better then anybody you ever seen do it/Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it/I guess every superhero need his theme music -- #Yeezusweek Also, make sure you tune into "College Football Live" today at 3:30 p.
The key to success at the college level is a strong foundation. And that foundation comes from annual recruiting classes that fans and coaches obsess over each year. Well, SEC teams are once again making sure their recruiting foundations are strong, as 10 of the 14 teams are among the top 30 of the ESPN class rankings, including five in the top 10.
The SEC brings back a good crop of quarterbacks this fall, but they're all looking to get better. Which one will be the most improved? We asked our readers and with more than 7,700 votes cast in our SportsNation poll, South Carolina's Connor Shaw narrowly beat LSU's Zach Mettenberger by taking 30 percent of the vote.
Every year, players come and go in college football. With that teams can either grow or take steps back because of turnover. With that we'll take a look at all 14 teams in the SEC and check out each one's strongest and weakest position heading into fall camp and the 2013 season.
It wasn't long ago when Kentucky and Tennessee were two programs considered to be in shambles. On the field, nothing was really going right and the top players weren't exactly lining up to sign their names on letters of intent from either school.
Kanye and Jay-Z are about to seriously damage my eardrums with all this music they are churning out this summer! Jon Solomon of AL.com has a wealth of information on college football's new targeting rule.
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